Build It

Main Point: I can love no matter what.Bible Story: The Prodigal Song – Luke 15:11-24Memory Verse: Let us love one another for love comes from God.
1 John 4:7 a

Kid Connect

QUEST ANIMAL COLORING PAGE

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: crayons, coloring pages

What you do: Place the crayons in the center of the circle and give each child a coloring page.

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: As children color, get to know them by asking questions about their week or what they did or are planning to do that day.

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Make sure children’s names are on the coloring pages and set them aside until they are picked up at the end of the worship experience.

MASTER BUILDERS

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: neighborhood game board, Quest animal pieces, Quest dollars, game cards

What you do: Place the neighborhood game board in the center of the eGroup. Give each child a Quest animal piece and five Quest dollars.

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Tell children to place their Quest animal piece on any building on the game board. Once all children have placed their piece on a building, choose a game card and read the instructions aloud. Any children with a Quest animal piece on the building on that card will pay another player one Quest dollar as directed. Help children pay other players with their Quest dollars, then encourage all children to take their pieces back off the board. Tell children to place their Quest animal pieces on a new building and repeat until all game cards have been read.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER WORKOUT

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: no supplies

What you do: Spread children out around the eGroup space. Explain they will follow your instructions to complete the “Construction Worker Workout.”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “We’re going to do some serious building today. We need to get ready by pretending to put on our construction gear while we get warmed up! Everyone stand up and get ready with me!”

“Pretend to put on your work boots and then touch your toes five times.”

“Pretend to put on your worker goggles and then do ten high jumps.”

“Pretend to put on your overalls and stand up and sit down three times as fast as you can.”

“Pretend to put on your construction hat and spin around three times.”

“Pretend to put on your tool belt and wave your arms in four big circles.”

“Pretend to put a tool in your tool belt and give a friend a high-five.”

“Pretend to put on your safety vest and hop on one foot five times.”

“Pretend to put on your work gloves and then clap your hands as fast as you can.”

“Pretend to put another tool in your tool belt and pat your knees six times.”

“Pretend to climb in your big construction truck and stand on your tiptoes.”

GET TO KNOW YOU

BUILDING FRIENDSHIPS

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: toolbox mat, tool cards

What you do: Place the toolbox mat in the center of the eGroup.

What you say: “This month we’re learning how we can share Jesus’ love with the people around us! We’ll get to know each other better as we check out the tools in our toolbox.”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Explain that after each child introduces themselves, they will take a tool card from the toolbox and hand it to you. Read the question on the tool card aloud and encourage the child to answer. Continue until all children have been introduced.

Afterall children are introduced, pass out a Quest animal sticker to each child. Have each child place it next to their name tag.

What you say: “We are the (insert animal name) today! There are two very special rules to remember so we can have the most fun. The rules to follow are:

Be Safe – How can we be safe? (keeping our hands to ourselves, sitting when others are sitting, walking instead of running, following the rules)

Be Kind – How can we be kind? (listening when others are talking, sharing, obeying leaders, sitting on our bottoms so others can see)

If you can obey our special rules and are ready to have fun then put one hand in the center and repeat after me:

I am (allow response)

a (insert group name) (allow response)

I will (allow response)

be kind and safe! (allow response)

On the count of three everyone, say ‘Go (insert animal name)!’

1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . .

Go (insert group name)!”

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Now that we all know each other and we know the rules, we’re ready to hear a Bible story about how we can love others no matter what!”

BIBLE CONNECT

THE PRODIGAL SON

LUKE 15:11-24

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: God’s Story for Me Bible, Bible story stickers

What you say: “We can find true stories in God’s book, the Bible!”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Show and read the Bible story from pages 382-387 in the God’s Story for Me Bible. Ask the Bible story review questions. Each time a child answers a question correctly, give the child a sticker.

What you say: “Let’s see how much you remember from our Bible story!”

“How many sons did the farmer have?” (two)

“Who asked the father to give him his share of the money: the older son or the younger son?” (the younger son)

“Did the younger son save his money or spend it all?” (He spent it all.)

“When the younger son ran out of money, what kind of job did he get?” (He fed pigs.)

“When he was hungry and tired, was the younger son glad he left home or did he want to go back home?” (He wanted to go home.)

“When the younger son got back home, was his father happy to see his son or was he mad at his son for wasting the money?” (He was happy to see his son.)

“What kinds of things did the father do to celebrate that his son had come home?” (gave his son new clothes, gave his son a ring, gave his son new shoes, threw a big party)

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Sometimes we have to love each other even when it is hard, like the father had to love his son even after the son made some big mistakes. Just because someone makes a bad choice does not mean we should not love them. Jesus loves us even though we make bad choices. How can you love like Jesus?” (I can love everyone.)

VERSE MOTIONS

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: no supplies

What you say: “This month our Bible verse says God loves us and He wants us to show that love to others! Let’s practice our verse together!”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Say the memory verse and do the motions in front of the children. After showing them once, encourage children to practice the memory verse with you three to four times using the motions.

What you say: “I am going to say our memory verse. Everyone watch me! (Demonstrate the memory verse as shown in the sidebar.) Now let’s do it all together! Are you ready? (Say the memory verse with the motions several times.)

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Our memory verse tells us we can love others because God loves us!”

What you do: Explain to the group this is the last week children can recite this verse to earn a memory verse card for their collectible poster!Allow children an opportunity to recite the verse by themselves. Give any child who recites the verse by themselves a memory verse card. Mark the “MV” box by that child’s name on your check-in sheet.

VERSE BUILDERS

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: no supplies

What you say: “This month our Bible verse says God loves us and He wants us to show that love to others! Let’s practice our verse together!”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Say the memory verse and do the motions in front of the children. After showing them once, explain children will play “Verse Builders” to practice the memory verse. If children want to be a house builder, when you say, “3, 2, 1, BUILD!” they will put their hands over their head like a roof. If they want to be a toy builder, they will pretend to cuddle their favorite toy. If they want to be an ice cream sundae builder, they will pretend to scoop ice cream. Count down by saying, “3, 2, 1, BUILD,” wait for children to choose a motion, and then call out a type of builder. All children doing the action for that builder will stand and say the verse together. Repeat until all children have practiced the verse.

What you say: “Time to practice the verse, builders! Here we go! 3, 2, 1, BUILD!” (Pause for children to choose what type of builder to be.) “I need all of the toy builders to stand up and say the verse together!” (Repeat until all children have practiced the verse, choosing a different type of builder each time.)

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Our memory verse tells us we can love others because God loves us!”

What you do: Explain to the group this is the last week children can recite this verse to earn a memory verse card for their collectible poster!Allow children an opportunity to recite the verse by themselves. Give any child who recites the verse by themselves a memory verse card. Mark the “MV” box by that child’s name on your check-in sheet.

YOU CONNECT

NAME THAT EMOJI

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: emoji cards (1 per child), leader sheet

What you do: Give each child an emoji card.

What you say: “There is a different face on each side of your emoji card. Can everyone show me the happy face? (Pause for children to show it.) Great, now can you show me the sad face? (Pause for children to show it.) Good job! I’m going to share some situations with you that might make you happy, or they might make you sad. If they make you happy, show me the happy face. If they make you sad, show me the sad face.”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Read aloud one of the situations from the leader sheet and encourage children to respond with their emoji cards as directed. After children have responded with their emoji cards, read the follow-up question for the situation from the leader sheet and encourage children to respond. Repeat for all remaining situations on the leader sheet.

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Sometimes things happen that make us happy, and some things make us sad. But God loves you all the time, no matter how you feel. And because He loves you, you can show love to others, too. How can you love like Jesus?” (I can love everyone.)

eKIDZ JOURNAL AND COLLECTIBLE

What you say: “God can do great things through us when we learn and live out what the Bible says! Today we learned we can love no matter what. Let’s think about some people we can show love to.”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Take out your eGroup prayer journal and pen. Write down each child’s name and what they say in the journal. Pray with the group.

What you say: “We’ve been learning we can love like Jesus by loving everyone! Today we’re going to make a list of people we can love. When I say your name, I want you to tell me one person you can show love to this week and I’ll write it beside your name. It can be any person because Jesus loves everyone and so should we! (Write each child’s name and what they say in the journal.)

“Let’s pray together now! Dear God, thank You for such a special time learning how to love everyone the way Jesus loves everyone. I pray that (name the person each child chose) will feel Your love this week as we choose to show them love. Thank You for loving us no matter what and for giving us Jesus to be our friend forever. We love You, God. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

What you do: Give each child a main point card. Encourage children to color their main point cards as you talk. Show the prizes on the back of the sample collectible poster.

What you say: “Each weekend you visit Wonder! Clubhouse you’ll get main point cards to add to your collectible poster. Collect six cards and bring your poster back to Quest to receive a special prize! We have some really special Quest animal prizes that we can’t wait to share with you once you bring back your filled poster!

Today’s main point card says, ‘I can love no matter what.’ I want you to color your main point card now. Add this card to your collectible poster at home.”

VIPs AND CHILDREN WHO NEED A NEW COLLECTIBLE POSTER:Give the child a collectible poster and glue the main point card on their poster. Write the child’s name on the front of the poster with the Sharpie marker.

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “Make sure to keep your poster in a place you can see it every day to help you remember what we learn in Quest and to spend time with Jesus. Today we learned we can show love to others, no matter how we feel!”

What you do: Take your journal home with you so you can pray for your eGroup children by name throughout the week.

BUILD THE POINT

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: no supplies

What you do: Seat children in a wide circle.

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you do: Remind children our main point today is “I can love no matter what.” Explain children will be listening carefully for you to say the main point. When you say the main point correctly, everyone will stand up and find a new spot around the circle. Tell them sometimes you’ll put a wrong word in the main point, but they should only move if you say all the right words! If children start to get up and move when you said a wrong word, they will need to shout the main point before sitting back down.

What you say: “All right, friends, make sure you listen very carefully for me to say our main point correctly: I can love no matter what! I’m going to put some other silly words in sometimes, so help each other listen for the right words!”

“I can love no matter where!”

“I can love no matter why!”

“I can love no matter wind!”

“I can love no matter what!”

“I can listen no matter what!”

“I can leap no matter what!”

“I can lounge no matter what!”

“I can lick no matter what!”

“I can love no matter what!”

“I can love no matter when!”

“I can love no matter whip!”

“I can love no matter wish!”

“I can love no matter wart!”

“I can love no matter which!”

“I can love no matter what!”

AFTER THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “You guys are such great listeners! I know you’ll remember our main point from today: I can love no matter what. No matter who they are or how we feel, we can love everyone! How can you love like Jesus?” (I can love everyone.)

DISMISSAL

CONSTRUCTION WORKER WORKOUT

BEFORE THE ACTIVITY

What you need: no supplies

What you do: Spread children out around the eGroup space. Explain they will follow your instructions to complete the “Construction Worker Workout.”

DURING THE ACTIVITY

What you say: “We need to get ready to do some more building by pretending to put on our construction gear and warming up! Everyone stand up and get ready with me!”

“Pretend to put on your work boots and then touch your toes five times.”

“Pretend to put on your worker goggles and then do ten high jumps.”

“Pretend to put on your overalls and stand up and sit down three times as fast as you can.”

“Pretend to put on your construction hat and spin around three times.”

“Pretend to put on your tool belt and wave your arms in four big circles.”

“Pretend to put a tool in your tool belt and give a friend a high-five.”

“Pretend to put on your safety vest and hop on one foot five times.”

“Pretend to put on your work gloves and then clap your hands as fast as you can.”

“Pretend to put another tool in your tool belt and pat your knees six times.”

“Pretend to climb in your big construction truck and stand on your tiptoes.”